Retail NI meet with PSNI to discuss spate of 16 ATM robberies since Christmas

By Graeme Cousins
Published 29th Mar 2023, 09:42 BST
Updated 29th Mar 2023, 17:17 BST
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With dozens of ATM robberies and attacks on Retail NI members since the Christmas period, a Retail NI delegation met senior PSNI officers today (Wednesday).

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said that there was a “perfect storm of problems” around cash machines in rural areas of Northern Ireland, which have been targeted on 16 occasions since just before Christmas.

Speaking ahead of the meeting with the PSNI today, he said: “These ATM robberies are attacks on local independent retailers who provide a valuable community service.

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“There is now a perfect storm of problems around rural ATMs. In addition to the robberies, because the Assembly is down, many of our rural members will this week lose rate relief on their ATMs. This will cost tens of thousands on top of their already expensive rate bills.

Police investigating damage caused to an ATM in on the Killylea Road in Armagh in the early hours of Wednesday, March 22. Picture by Jonathan Porter // PressEyePolice investigating damage caused to an ATM in on the Killylea Road in Armagh in the early hours of Wednesday, March 22. Picture by Jonathan Porter // PressEye
Police investigating damage caused to an ATM in on the Killylea Road in Armagh in the early hours of Wednesday, March 22. Picture by Jonathan Porter // PressEye

“With so many bank branch closures, our members provide an invaluable service to many communities to access cash with their ATMs. Unless we see a crackdown on the robberies and a restoration of the ATM Rate Relief, many rural areas of Northern Ireland could see dozens more ATMs closing. This will put further pressure on people on benefits and pensioners who use cash to budget and rely on ATMs to access cash in many rural areas will be severely limited.”

After the meeting Mr Roberts said: “We’re encouraged that the PSNI are making progress on this in terms of their investigations.

“I think it is important to ask the general public to be vigilant at businesses who have ATMs, for example if they see people acting suspiciously around ATM or taking pictures of ATMs, they need to report it.

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“It’s also about ensuring police have the resources to tackle this problem as well.”

Retail NI chief executive Glyn RobertsRetail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts
Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts

Asked if police intelligence suggested these 16 ATM robberies had been carried out by 16 different groups or individuals, Mr Roberts said: “I think it’s fair to say there is a significant level of organisation behind these attacks.

“I think that’s why the ATM companies need to look at their procedures and security and the technology around these ATMS to make it even more difficult to rob.

“People have to be vigilant and retailers themselves have to constantly review their security procedures as well.”